Antioxidant and cytotoxicity to liver cancer HepG2 cells in vitro of Korarima (Aframomumcorrorima (Braun) P.C.M. Jansen) seed extracts

Effects of spices mixture and cooking on phytochemical content in Ethiopian spicy hot red pepper products

Spicy hot red pepper, the most popular spice in Ethiopia, is also locally known as berbere, which is highly valued for its pungency, flavor, and color. The spicy hot red pepper powder is used to flavor shiro and other stews, as well as different forms of condiments. The aim of this study was to measure the phytochemical content of raw spices (black cumin, garlic, ginger, and cardamom) and control hot red pepper (HRP), as well as the raw and cooked experimental and commercial spicy hot red pepper products. The samples were analyzed for phytochemical content using a spectrophotometer. Compared to raw experimental spicy hot red pepper, raw spices, and HRP, raw commercial spicy hot red pepper exhibited the highest bioactive phytochemicals. The cooked commercial spicy hot red pepper or sauté had the highest total flavonoid content (TFC) and total carotenoid content (TCC). Similarly, cooked experimental spicy hot red pepper contained the highest levels of total phenolic content (TPC) and β-carotene. With r values ranging from 0.24 to 0.65, the TPC and TFC of raw spices were correlated with antioxidant activity. There was a significant correlation between TCC and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (r = .71), 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) (r = .95), and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (r = .76), as well as between β-carotene and DPPH (r = .69), FRAP (r = .69), and ferrous ion chelating activity (FICA) (r = .78). This study verified that raw spices and their mix with hot red pepper are good sources of bioactive phytochemicals with radicals scavenging abilities in Ethiopian diets.

Plant-based foods and hepatocellular carcinoma: A review on mechanistic understanding

Regardless of etiology, hepatocarcinogenesis is frequently preceded by a distinctive sequence of chronic necroinflammation, compensatory hepatic regeneration, development of hepatic fibrosis, and ultimately cirrhosis. The liver being central immunomodulators, closely maintains immunotolerance. Any dysregulation in this management of immunotolerance is a hallmark of chronic hepatic disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Apart from other malignancies, hepatocellular carcinoma accounts for 90% of liver cancers. Several emerging evidences have recognized diet as lifestyle associated risk factor in HCC development. However, natural compounds have the potential to fight hepatoma aggressiveness via inhibition of cellular proliferation and modulation of oncogenic pathways. This review aimed to identify the several plant-based foods for their protective role in HCC prevention by understating the molecular mechanisms involved in inhibition of progression and proliferation of cancer. Information from relevant publications in which several plant-based foods demonstrated protective potential against HCC has been integrated as well as evaluated. For data integration, Science direct, Google scholar, and Scopus websites were used. Nutrition-based approaches in the deterrence of several cancers offer a substantial benefit to currently used medical therapies and should be implemented more often as an adjunct to first-line medical therapy. Furthermore, the inclusion of these plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices) may improve general health and decline cancer incidence.

Pepper Fruit Extracts Show Anti-Proliferative Activity against Tumor Cells Altering Their NADPH-Generating Dehydrogenase and Catalase Profiles

Cancer is considered one of the main causes of human death worldwide, being characterized by an alteration of the oxidative metabolism. Many natural compounds from plant origin with anti-tumor attributes have been described. Among them, capsaicin, which is the molecule responsible for the pungency in hot pepper fruits, has been reported to show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activities, as well as anti-proliferative properties against cancer. Thus, in this work, the potential anti-proliferative activity of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fruits from diverse varieties with different capsaicin contents (California < Piquillo < Padrón < Alegría riojana) against several tumor cell lines (lung, melanoma, hepatoma, colon, breast, pancreas, and prostate) has been investigated. The results showed that the capsaicin content in pepper fruits did not correspond with their anti-proliferative activity against tumor cell lines. By contrast, the greatest activity was promoted by the pepper tissues which contained the lowest capsaicin amount. This indicates that other compounds different from capsaicin have this anti-tumor potentiality in pepper fruits. Based on this, green fruits from the Alegría riojana variety, which has negligible capsaicin levels, was used to study the effect on the oxidative and redox metabolism of tumor cell lines from liver (Hep-G2) and pancreas (MIA PaCa-2). Different parameters from both lines treated with crude pepper fruit extracts were determined including protein nitration and protein S-nitrosation (two post-translational modifications (PTMs) promoted by nitric oxide), the antioxidant capacity, as well as the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), among others. In addition, the activity of the NADPH-generating enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) was followed. Our data revealed that the treatment of both cell lines with pepper fruit extracts altered their antioxidant capacity, enhanced their catalase activity, and considerably reduced the activity of the NADPH-generating enzymes. As a consequence, less H₂O₂ and NADPH seem to be available to cells, thus avoiding cell proliferation and possibly triggering cell death in both cell lines.

Antioxidant activity of selected plants extract for palm oil stability via accelerated and deep frying study

Antioxidants are organic compounds that help to prevent lipid oxidation and improve the shelf-life of edible oils and fats. Currently, synthetic antioxidants were used as oil stabilizing agent. However, synthetic antioxidants have been causing various health risks. As a result, natural antioxidants such as most parts of olive plant, green tea, sesame, medicinal plants were plays an important role to retard lipid oxidation. The palm oil was continuously frying at 180 °C for 6 days using Lepidium sativum (0.2%w/v) and Aframomum corrorima (0.3%w/v) seeds extracts as antioxidant. The physicochemical properties of oil in the herbal extract additive group significantly maintained the oil quality during frying compared to the normal control and the food sample containing group. The L. sativum extract had a greater oil stability compared to A. corrorima extract. However, the frying oil without herbal extract significantly increase the physicochemical properties of oil such as iodine value, acid value, free fatty acid, total polar compounds, density, moisture content, pH etc. during repetitive frying. The antioxidant activity of the plant extract was outstanding, with an IC₅₀ value in the range of 75-149.9 μg/mL when compared to the standard butyl hydroxy anisole, which had an IC₅₀ value in the range of 74.9 ± 0.06-96.7 ± 0.75 μg/mL. The total phenolic and flavonoid content of the extract for L. sativum was 128.6 ± 0.00 mg GAE/g, 127.0 ± 0.00 mg QE/g, and 130.16 ± 0.001 mg GAE/g, 105.76 ± 0.02 mg QE/g, respectively. The significant effect of the plant extract on the degradation of oil and the formation of free fatty acids was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The result of these study revealed that the ethanolic crude extract of L. sativum and A. corrorima had a potential natural antioxidant to prevent the degradation of palm oil.